Thursday, April 21, 2011

Find me this weekend at The Handmade Market. The event is from 11-5 at Cobblestone Hall downtown in City Market. The Raleigh Easter egg hunt is also going on across the street so its sure to be a great time for the whole family. This is one of my favorite local shows and there is always such a great collection of vendors. I've already started working on my shopping list! I'm bringing new enameled pieces as some new metalwork that I'm really excited about. I'll also have some Twister Necklaces to help raise money for victims of last weekends tornadoes in Raleigh. They retail for $35 and 25% will go to the local chapter of the American Red Cross. Meanwhile you can pick one up on Etsy or there are still a few left at Raleigh Tornado Fundraiser.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

This past week powerful tornadoes ripped through the Southeastern United States leaving a path of destruction in their wake. I had watched the storms on the news for two days as they tore through Arkansas, Mississippi and Georgia, so by the time the system reached my state of North Carolina on Saturday afternoon, I was sure that they would have started to weaken. Unfortunately this was not the case. In all at least 25 tornadoes broke out across the state and resulted in 23 deaths. (updated to 24 on 4.21) 63 homes in Raleigh were destroyed and over 600 severely damaged. (updated to 138 houses and 8 businesses destroyed, 2,269 homes and businesses severely damaged on 4.21)

It all happened so quickly, I received a phone call from my sister that a tornado touched down in a nearby town and that it was headed towards Raleigh at 50 mph. It had been rainy and windy all day, and I wasn't too terribly worried at this point. A little while later the lights started flickering so I turned on the the news. We don't have cable and could only pickup a signal from one station because of the all the interference. That particular station is located downtown, the area that was hit first and hardest. The clouds were so thick and the rain so heavy, that the footage from the video cameras was almost completely black. The reporter was saying that the tornado was right above them and headed north (our direction), just then the power went out and all the light filtering in the windows started to fade. It got so dark that it almost looked like nighttime and I felt that feeling of dread creep into the pit of my stomach. My husband and I grabbed our two cats and headed to the bathroom to ride out the storm. Rain was pounding, I'm pretty sure there was some large hail, and you could hear the wind ripping past us. And that was it... it was over as quickly as it started. The rain let up then it was gone, I looked outside and other than a few limbs on the ground everything looked fine.

Having no power, no phone signal, and no internet access we really had no idea what had happened. A few hours went by, power was still out and it was dinner time, so we decided to look for an open restaurant. The street lights were out and we saw a tree or two down but not much else out of the ordinary. Then, all of a sudden, we were surrounded by trees that had snapped in half, damaged roofs and a whole bank of power lines lying across the road. In a daze, we just kept driving an another mile up the road, street lights were working and no visible damage at all. We ate at a Mexican restaurant, I can't even remember what I ordered or if it was good or not. I was too busy watching the horror unfold on the television across the room, missing roofs, houses that looked like they exploded and 200 year old trees ripped from the ground. Then it was back home, where our power had been restored and life went pretty much back to normal.

And that's what its like living in Raleigh right now, two different worlds, its completely surreal. Both my home and my studio are about a mile west of the tornadoes path, other than still finicky cell reception, there are no reminders of Saturdays events, you can almost forget that anything happened at all. Then you get in your car and... bam ... the scene is almost post-apocalyptic.
There is much to be thankful for. Somehow all of our friends and relatives in the area escaped with little or no damage to their properties and more importantly none to their persons. While I feel very grateful I also feel very guilty. Its strange to go about my life as normal when so many others have lost so much, and this is where you come in. Several local artists have donated works to help raise money for victims of Saturday's tornado. You can purchase these works, or donate work of your own at www.raleightornadofundraiser.com. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to The Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Raleigh.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

I've tried the new moon tilted in the air
Above a hazy tree-and-farmhouse cluster
As you might try a jewel in your hair.
I've tried it fine with little breadth of luster,
Alone, or in one ornament combining
With one first-water start almost shining.

I put it shining anywhere I please.
By walking slowly on some evening later,
I've pulled it from a crate of crooked trees,
And brought it over glossy water, greater,
And dropped it in, and seen the image wallow,
The color run, all sorts of wonder follow.

Monday, April 11, 2011

The Durham Art Walk was this past weekend, and I had a great time. The weather was a little iffy on Saturday, but it didn't seem to keep many people away. I saw lots of familiar faces from prior art walks and met a lot of new ones. My parents were in the area for another event in Chapel Hill, so they were able to stop by on their way back home. It was wonderful to see them and show off my new designs. Later in the day a friend dropped by to keep me company. After the show we went for dinner and sangria at Cuban Revolution. {fried plantains, yum!} It was the perfect end to a great day. The walk there was lovely, dinner was delicious and we got caught in a rainstorm on the way back. Luckily, I don't mind the rain, because as usual, I didn't have an umbrella. In my entire life, I think I've actually had an umbrella during a rainstorm... maybe... twice... and one of those times it was broken and wouldn't open.

{tray of goodies}

I made a point to arrive early on Sunday so I could take a quick look around at the other artists and designers before the crowds arrived. I was happy to find one of my favorite vendors from the holiday show, Sugar Monster Pottery, and I brought home a new friend. Its back to the studio today for the start of a very busy week. Next Sunday I'm off to Richmond for Spring Bada-Bing.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

the 2011 show schedule is in full swing and i'm loving it. its a little hectic, but i love staying busy and it gives me an excuse to spend extra time in my new studio. in addition to working on some new designs for my own shows, i've been making lots of supply orders so others can get ready for theirs. this means my bench is currently covered with clusters of rings, headpins and partially completed jewelry.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Once it smiled a silent dell
Where the people did not dwell;
They had gone unto the wars,
Trusting to the mild-eyed stars,
Nightly, from their azure towers,
To keep watch above the flowers,
In the midst of which all day
The red sunlight lazily lay.
Now each visitor shall confess
The sad valley's restlessness.
Nothing there is motionless-
Nothing save the airs that brood
Over the magic solitude.
Ah, by no wind are stirred those trees
That palpitate like the chill seas
Around the misty Hebrides!
Ah, by no wind those clouds are driven
That rustle through the unquiet Heaven
Uneasily, from morn till even,
Over the violets there that lie
In myriad types of the human eye-
Over the lilies there that wave
And weep above a nameless grave!
They wave:- from out their fragrant tops
Eternal dews come down in drops.
They weep:- from off their delicate stems
Perennial tears descend in gems.

Friday, April 1, 2011

my studio mate Kiona and i are celebrating our fabulous new studio space tonight with a big grand opening bash during the First Friday Artwalk. if you are going to be in the Glenwood South area, stop by and check out the new space. we are each having a raffle for $50 gift cards, you get one entry for coming and additional entries for every $20 you spend. find us in the Carter Building, 14 Glenwood Ave, Studio #24, Raleigh, 6-9 pm. for more information check out our Facebook event page.